San Francisco District Attorney's Office Intellectual Property Crime Enforcement Project

This program is authorized by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011, Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2011 (Pub. L. 1121-1017, div. B, secs. 1101-1104) and Pub. L. No. 111-117, 123 Stat. 3034, 3134, and informed by section 401 of Public Law 110-403, which authorizes the Department to provide funding to support state and local intellectual property enforcement efforts. The Intellectual Property Crime Enforcement Program is designed to provide national support and improve the capacity of state, local, and tribal criminal justice systems to address intellectual property criminal enforcement, including prosecution, prevention, training, and technical assistance. This program is generally informed by section 401 of Public law 110-403, which authorizes the Department to provide funding to support state and local intellectual property crime enforcement efforts.

The grantee will use funds to expand its High Tech Crimes and Identity Theft Unit. Primary project goals include the following: (1) Strengthen multi-jurisdictional law enforcement partnerships to more efficiently combat intellectual property rights (IPR) and High Technology (high tech) crimes; and (2) Further develop the San Francisco District Attorney's Office's capacity to successfully investigate and prosecute high tech cases. Project strategies include investigations and prosecution; outreach, education, and training; coordination of project activities via partnerships with the US Attorney's Office CHIP (Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property) Unit, the recently established federal WHIP3 (World Hacking Intellectual Property Protection Program), the State REACT (Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Task Force), and federal and state law enforcement. Funds will be used to hire investigative staff, acquire necessary equipment and supplies, send staff to trainings covering topics of intellectual property, and obtain contracted investigative or prosecutorial services.

CA/NCF